Mrazek

Something has got to give. The Detroit Red Wings made four signings today, two of which are forwards. This is a strange predicament the Red Wings are in. They have $17 million left in cap space and are still in on the Zach Parise sweepstakes.

Parise will likely make a decision by tomorrow, but with Jiri Hudler out of the picture, the Red Wings still need a top line winger, which might come in the form of Parise or Alex Semin (or possibly Hudler, although unlikely).

The Jordin Tootoo and Mikael Samuelsson signings give Detroit 16 forwards under contract, not including Justin Abdelkader, who is an RFA, or Tomas Holmstrom, who is UFA.

In a league where you usually dress 12 forwards a game, 16 is too many. Factor in a spot for Abdelkader and a Parise type player, and that's 18 forward spots. What is Ken Holland going to do?

The Red Wings assigned goaltender Thomas McCollum to the Toledo Walleyes of the ECHL today, bringing up a huge question in my mind. Does this guy have what it takes to be in the NHL?

I looked at a lot of stats and compared him to other goalies in Detroit's system, and also to goaltenders of the same draft year.

McCollum was drafted 30th overall in 2008 behind only one goaltender, Chet Pickard. Pickard was said to be the clone of McCollum, just a little bit more developed. Nashville chose Pickard, Detroit took McCollum. And look where they both are; the ECHL....